What Price Protection?

You've come up with an idea for the next big thing--but how do you keep others from stealing it? There's really only one way to get legal protection, and that's to file a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).

Many people think that sending a registered letter detailing their idea to an attorney, friend, or themselves (and then keeping it in a safe place, unopened) provides protection. Wrong--it doesn't. I sent myself such a letter for my TopsyTail. Although it was helpful during my patent infringement lawsuits in proving when I came up with my idea, it doesn't prevent anyone from stealing your invention. That's because the only legal form of protection recognized by the judicial system is a patent. And as you may already know, obtaining a patent isn't cheap.

Tomima Edmark is the inventor of the TopsyTail and several other products, and is author of The American Dream Fact Pack ($49.95), available by calling (800) 558-6779. Questions regarding inventions and patents may be sent to "Bright Ideas," Entrepreneur, 2392 Morse Ave., Irvine, CA 92614.

This article was originally published in the September 1998 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: What Price Protection?.